Musical instrument tuners use several types of indicators to show a user whether a note is on-pitch or off-pitch. Originally, mechanical electromagnetic meters were used. These have been supplemented with, or replaced by, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and liquid crystal display (LCD) type of indicators.
A typical tuner is designed so that it can be used with many different instruments, voices, etc. Since different instruments, musicians, technicians, engineers, etc., have different needs for tuning instruments, and measuring pitch, a tuner usually is able to measure and indicate all audio frequencies across the usable spectrum. By using a meter (mechanical or LCD), and by indicating the nearest note in a chromatic scale, or by showing a frequency number on a display, the tuner can be used to tune to almost any audible frequency.
While this versatility ensures that one model of tuner can be used for many different purposes, some users desire a more customized tuner with a display better suited for their particular needs. For example, guitar players typically only need to tune to six different notes corresponding to the strings of the guitar. In the case of a user who wants a tuner strictly for tuning a guitar, the versatile model of tuner has some deficiencies. Because the versatile tuner indicates all frequencies it must be capable of presenting a lot of information and is often difficult to read. This is especially true in low-light conditions, or where the user is more than a short distance away from the tuner""s indicators.
Some manufacturers make tuner models customized specifically for a guitar. The guitar tuners typically use dedicated LEDs, one for each string on the guitar. This gives the user a good xe2x80x9ccoarsexe2x80x9d indication of what string is being played. A xe2x80x9cfinexe2x80x9d indicator such as an LCD meter, LED meter bar, mechanical meter, etc., then indicates the degree of off-pitch of the string. By using dedicated LEDs, one for each string, reading the tuner indicators is made much easier. Even where an LCD display is used, the tuner uses preset types of display indication and programming that is designed by the manufacturer. This is true of a generalized tuner designed to handle any type of tuning application, and of a customized tuner that is especially suited for one type of instrument.
A drawback with the prior art tuners is that they are not easily adaptable for uses other those initially intended by the manufacturer. For example, a guitar tuner may not be suitable for a bass guitar, cello, piano, or other instruments. Also, since musicians often use non-standard tunings, and since instrument manufacturers provide instruments with different numbers of strings, a specific tuner may not be well-suited for different tunings of the instrument for which it was designed. For example, guitars can have one or more strings tuned to different settings other than the standard EADGBE notes. Other instruments such as bass guitars, banjoes, sitars, etc., may use more or less strings and the strings can have different tunings. Although some customized tuners allow modifications to the tuner settings, such modifications can be confusing and require work to interpret the display. This detracts from efficient operation of the tuner.
The present invention provides a musical instrument tuner with configurable indicators. In a preferred embodiment, the tuner includes a display screen. A user can select predetermined configurations such as for guitar, bass guitar, violin, cello, etc. Popular detuned settings for guitars, such as xe2x80x9cdrop-D,xe2x80x9d one half-step down, etc. can be provided as selectable presets with the display configuration changing to provide appropriate indicators. Bass guitars or other instruments that come in models having different numbers of strings can easily be accommodated with presets or user customization. A user can also create a customized tuner with arbitrary note detection so that any instrument or user preference can be configured after the point of sale with a single manufactured device.
In a preferred embodiment the invention displays fine and coarse tuning indicators on the display screen. The coarse tuning indicator can be a letter indication of the closest filtered note, or color can be used. A fine tuning indicator shows the amount off-pitch from the closest filtered note. The coarse and fine tuning indicators can be alternately displayed, or they can be concurrently displayed adjacent to, or overlapping with, each other. Other types of displays are possible and can be provided as defaults or by user selection.
Other features of different embodiments include the ability for a user to select coarse tune notes, indicator arrangement and behavior and configuration of the tuner via a network wired or wireless protocol using a personal computer.
In one embodiment, the tuner mounts adjacent to an instrument, such as a guitar, by using a standard xc2xcxe2x80x3 plug. The tuner has a display screen that pivots to permit viewing on different types of guitars. A model is disclosed that is suitable for both left and right handed guitar players. The instrument-mounted tuner can be configured to accept signals from other devices and to provide auxiliary information to the musician. For example, the tuner can display chord charts, lyrics, song titles in a list of songs to be played at a performance, etc. The tuner can work in cooperation with guitar effects devices to indicate what effects are being applied to the tone, provide a visual metronome indication, etc.
In another embodiment, the device performs analog-to-digital (A/D) conversion of an input instrument signal. The digital signal is provided to an external device.
In another embodiment the invention provides a musical instrument tuner comprising a display screen; and at least one configuration control for configuring the display screen in first and second display configurations.
In another embodiment the invention provides a musical instrument tuner comprising a body for housing an indicator that indicates a degree of tuning of a musical instrument; a plug integral with the tuner for mounting the tuner adjacent to the musical instrument and for receiving an output from the musical instrument; and first and second jacks for receiving plugs so that the tuner is operable symmetrically in a left or right hand configuration.
In another embodiment the invention provides an instrument display comprising a display screen; mounting means for mounting the display screen proximate to a musical instrument; a control system for receiving signals; and a display system for deriving text information from the received signals and for displaying the visual information on the display screen.